West Middlesex Golf Club first opened in 1891 but has been in financial difficulty for several years according to the council
Ealing Council is set to sell part of a 135-year-old golf course whilst taking back control of the site from the current operator.
West Middlesex Golf Club was first established in 1891, and in 1910 the course was redesigned by five-time Open Champion James Braid. However, according to council documents, the club has struggled financially in recent years, going into administration in 2019.
The club – originally known as Ealing Golf Club – is located on Greenford Road in Southall, and has an 18-hole golf course along with a clubhouse which the club hires out for events.
In January 2022, Greenford Road Limited (GRL) acted as a debt funder and financed the club’s recovery from administration. The company is now seeking to recover its investment, whilst Ealing Council is engaged in active litigation with the club over alleged breaches of its lease.
To resolve the ongoing dispute, the council has proposed a three-way settlement between the council, the golf club and GRL. This means the club will be forced to surrender its current long lease back to the council.
Ealing Council will then immediately grant a short term “excluded lease” allowing the club to remain on the land until September 30, 2027. An excluded lease means the tenant does not have an automatic right to renew the lease or remain in/on the property when the contractual term expires.
After this, the council will sell a 2.27 acre plot of the land to GRL for an undisclosed amount. If required by GRL, the council will enter an agreement to grant a second short-term excluded lease for the pavilion area, running from October 1, 2027, until May 2028.
The council has not yet decided what the future use of the reclaimed land will be. All options will be considered between the conclusion of this deal and the return of the land in September 2027.
Other options included progressing with litigation against the golf club. This was not recommended by officers due to significant cost, uncertainty and risk.
Despite the deal saving the council from further legal costs, it will incur legal and surveyor advice fees to finalise the agreement. Once the land is returned to the council after September 2027, the council will be responsible for its maintenance costs, which are yet to be fully assessed.
The specific financial figures are commercially sensitive and subject to legal professional privilege and therefore have not been made publicly available.
The Cabinet will discuss the proposals on Thursday, July 9, at 5pm before making a decision.
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